Amazon Alexa to enter Windows 10 PC in Q1 2018 without Cortana

Source: Elvina Yang

Date: 2018/01/17

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Amazon Alexa is already integrated into various home appliances, but the voice assistant will soon appear in PCs too. Computer makers including HP, Asus and Acer have all announced plans at CES last week to release PCs with built-in Alexa.

In other words, PCs, which are already prevalent in many households and offices, will be able to do what smart speakers can do – to control lights, to ask for weather information, to set alarms, to check schedules or to ask for an Uber ride.

HP unveiled plans to bring Alexa to its HP Pavilion Wave desktop computer, which will work as an audio speaker as well. A custom LED will be added to indicate when Alexa is listening. Acer will insert Alexa into selected Acer Aspire, Spin, Switch and Swift notebooks, and Aspire all-in-one PCs.

Both company will also add Intel audio processors to Alexa-enabled products to hear users’ requests and to respond better.

Asus will support Alexa with its ZenBook and VivoBook laptops. The hybrid Lyra Voice Wi-Fi system will work along to provide hearing and talking abilities to make the laptops work like smart speakers.

These PCs will run the Windows 10 system. The first PC to have Alexa built-in is expected to be available in the first quarter this year.

Windows 10 now has around 600 million active users. With support from PC makers, Amazon Alexa is expected to have much adoption growth.

At the same time the partnership may threaten Cortana’s place in the market. Cortana was the only voice assistant working with Windows 10, allowing users to check calendar and emails. To tackle the Windows market, Amazon last year even announced Cortana-Alexa integration by the end of 2017.

The integration plan, however, has since been delayed and now Alexa is entering PC devices without in the absence of Cortana. Even though Cortana is now working with a few smart home gadgets, Alexa’s dominance in the market could make the opportunity to use Cortana in homes really low.

In addition, Windows 10 built-in with Alexa is likely to result in increased adoption of the voice assistant in the office context.